Answer: Saddam Hussein attacked Kuwait, sparking the Persian Gulf War. True.
Explanation:
Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq, focused attention on the Middle East when his army suddenly invaded tiny Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Kuwait had raised its production of oil, contrary to agreements with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The resulting drop in global oil prices offended the Iraqi regime, deep in debt and heavily dependent upon oil revenues. Saddam Hussein was surprised by the backlash his invasion of Kuwait caused.
By January 1991, over thirty nations had joined Operation Desert Shield. Some nations sent only planes, warships, or support forces, but sixteen, including ten Islamic countries, committed ground forces. Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm when the first allied cruise missiles began to hit Iraq on January 16. On February 28, six weeks after the fighting began, President Bush called for a cease-fire, the Iraqis accepted, and the shooting ended.
